The trio — all McDonald’s All-Americans — are Mario Chalmers, Micah Downs and Julian Wright. All will be vying for immediate playing time, if not starting spots.

“We’ve got some freshmen who are pretty good. I think they are beyond their years in a lot of ways, not just on the court,” Self said.

Chalmers, a 6-foot-1 point guard, averaged 26 points last season at Bartlett High in Anchorage, Alaska.

Downs, a 6-8 shooting guard, averaged 24.8 points and 12.2 rebounds for Juanita High in Kirkland, Wash. He scored 41 points on game and had 30 or more in six of 21 games.

Wright, 6-9 from Homewood-Flossmoor High in suburban Chicago, averaged 14.9 points and 7.0 rebounds.

“They are three good players that have a chance to be very good college players. We think all three will have a big impact right off the bat,” Self said. “I hope they’re (expectations) not unrealistic. But I also think the expectations should be they are going to be good.

“Our freshmen group is a talented group. If they keep their heads on straight, the sky is the limit.”

Speaking of the three’s specific talents, the coach said: “Julian is a basketball player. He does a lot of everything. He’s not a prolific scorer, but he does a lot of everything.

“Micah can really shoot, is athletic and has great feel. Mario is about as an athletic guy you are going to find and can get to where he wants to go off the bounce.

“We’ll have some different things with those three that when they reach the table maybe we didn’t have this year. The things we won’t have is strength as much and experience as much like we did with those seniors who graduated.”

All three signees attended summer school and became acclimated with campus.

“I’m impressed with the whole team,” Chalmers said. “We’re going to be athletic, get it and go and pressure people.”

“We’ll run, get up the floor, pressure the ball as well,” Wright said. “I think we’ll be deep, not experienced, but deep. You can throw new bodies at them and wear them out. We’ll be athletic team and cause a lot of fits for other teams.

“We are a little inexperienced, but toward the end of the year, with a great coach, if we give ourselves a chance to learn the offense and the system we should be a great team in March.”

One other newcomer joins the team in Rodrick Stewart, a 6-4 guard from Seattle, who will be eligible at the conclusion of first semester.

Stewart was a second semester transfer last season from USC.